Hemfort



H. HEMFORT Jan. 26, 1954 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CENTRIFUGALLY MIXINGLIQUIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March l5, 1950 fkflll.' :fr 'Il Yull/11,111

INVENTOR HE/NR/CH HEM/:ORT

YDMQz/ l ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 26, 1954 H.HEMFORT APPARATUS ANDMETHOD FOR CENTRIF'UGALLY MIXING LIQUIDS FiledMarch l5, 1950 HE/NR/CH MSM/C0527' BY er the two liquids are fed intothe centrifuge simultaneously the lighter liquid will rst come intocontact with the outer opening of the stripping disc I inasmuch as itassumes the innermost position being banked on top of the centrifugallyoutwardly moving heavier liquid. There will be, therefore, then firstspecifically lighter liquid stripped by the stripping disc 1 anddischarged through conduits 3| and S. If the amount of liquid feed is soadjusted that one of the two liquids is fed in amount less than lthetotal liquid stripped by the stripping disc and discharged throughconduit 9, the interphase between the specifically lighter andspecifically heavier liquid will soon reach the outer stripping openingof conduit 8 of the stripping disc 'I and thereafter both liquids willbe gripped by the stripping disc being mixed therein and dischargedthrough conduits S I and 9 in the form of an intimate mixture. Thestripping disc acts essentially as a reverse centrifugal pump. It may befor instance seen by reference to Fig. 4 the specifically lighter andspecifically heavier liquids are forcedthrough their` centrifugalrotation into the opening of the stripping channel 8a which spiralsinwardly towards the center of the stripping disc. The continuingcentrifugal pressure then forces the liquids which have becomeintimately mixed in the stripping channels 8aupwardly through theannular duct Si to be discharged as an intimate mixture of the liquids.

The operationis similar if the one or theV other of the two liquidsshould be `first fed into the centrifuge before the other is admitted.Assuming, for instance, that specifically heavier liquid is admitted assuch, or in mixture with specifically lighter liquid in a manner wherethe specifically heavier liquid preponderates to an extent that thestripping disc will first dip into the specifically heavier liquid, thelatter will be discharged until again the interspace between thespecifically lighter and specifically heavier liquid is reached. In theparticularY embodiment of Fig. l, the drum interior portions 3d and 35separated by the stripping disc 'I constitute communicating chambers andthe two liquids will assume positions of balance in each. Valve II) isso adjusted that the rate of discharge through conduit 9 is largerthan'the rate of feed of one of its components. Valve l) furthermore isso adjusted to the discharge through conduit 9 that the levels of thetwo liquids remain such that the liquid level of the liquid within theupper portion of the centrifugal interior 3'3 is maintained between theouter periphery of the stripping disc I and the innerperiphery of thecollar member I3. If the discharge is restricted too much, the liquidwithin the upper portion 35 of the drum interior 36 will dischargethrough conduit 32 over overflow lip 28 into the interior II of the hood23. On the other hand, if the valve is opened too wide so that theliquid mixture discharge is out of proportion to the feed rates of theliquids, the liquid levels Within the centrifuge interior 35 mayrecedeto a point where air is sucked in to the stripping disc. I Y

Though Fig. 1 illustrates the feeding cf the specifically heavier liquidto above the stripping Y disc and of the specically lighter liquid tobelow the stripping disc, it is possible to reverse the feeds of theseliquids and have the specifically lighter liquid pass into thecentrifuge interior above the stripping disc and the specificallyheavier liquid into the centrifugeinterior to below the stripping disc.Alternatively, an arrangement asrvexempli-` 4 fied in Fig. 2 may beused. As there shown, the specifically heavier liquid is admittedthrough the central conduit I6. Spindle I4 of the centrifuge is of thehollow type and defines the central conduit I5 for the admission of thespecifically lighter liquid. Again the two liquids seek individualliquid levels which in their differential in the upper and lowerportions 35a and 34a are controlled by the diiferentials in theirspecific gravity. Again, the interphase of the two liquids reaches thestripping circumference of the stripping disc I8. In this case, there isthus the specifically heavier and the specifically lighter liquid eachintroduced to the space below the stripping disc. In this case, however,the liquid level of the specifically heavier liquid in the upper portion35a of the drum interior is controlled not only by the amount ofspecifically lighter liquid within the space 34a but also by thespecifically heavier liquid being centrifugally moved through thespecically lighter liquid. The particular construction of Fig. 2 has theadvantage that it is possible to make the inner diameter of the collarmember il smaller than that of the corresponding collar member I3 ofFig.r l. This in turn permits a smaller outer diameter of the strippingdisc I8. There is thus in this construction less power required for theoperation ofthemixing device. Instead of introducing the specificallyheavier liquid through conduit I5, as illustrated in Fig. 2, thespecifically lighter liquid may be introduced through this conduit whilepassing the specifically heavier liquid Vthrough conduit I5.Alternatively, both liquids may be introduced through the conduit I5 ofthe hollow spindle it. instead of defining conduit I5 as ypart ofrotatable spindle I so that the conduit walls rotate with the spindle,it is possibleto define conduit iE by way of a stationary tube orconduit within the rotating hollow spindle Iii.

Fig. 3 demonstrates a construction similar to Fig. 2 except that bothliquids are introduced by way of the central conduit I6 being eachseparately fed into the same by the T-connection Iii.

The method and device in accordance with the invention have manyvaluable practical applications in the mixing of liquids. Olne of theforemost applications is that in connection with the mixing of liquidsfor extraction purposes in which one of the liquids is a solute whilethe other is the extracting solvent possessing a preferential'solubility for the material dissolved in the solute. 'Iheir applicationmay further include the emulsification of certain liquids particularlyin the `presence of emulsifying agents.

liquids into said drum below said disc, second conduit means foradmitting the other of said liquids into said drum, third conduit meansin communication with the stripping channel of said disc for discharginga mixture of liquids, and means defining an annular overflow channelfrom the upper inner end of said drum.

2. Device in accordance with claim 1 in which said third conduit isessentially defined between the outer surface of said shaft andan'essentially 5 tubular member cocentric with said shaft in spacedrelation thereto.

3. Device in accordance with claim 1 in which said second conduit exitsinto said drum above said disc.

4. Device in accordance with claim 1 in which said third conduit meansare provided with valving means for variably adjusting mixture nowtherethrough, in which said third conduit is essentially defined betweenthe outer surface of said shaft and an essentially tubular membercocentric with said shaft in spaced relation thereto, in which saidannular overflow channel is defined between an inner and outercylindrical member cocentric with said shaft, and in which said secondconduit is defined between the outer surface of said tubular member andthe inner surface of said inner cylindrical member.

5. Device in accordance with claim 1 in which said second conduit exitsinto said drum below said disc.

6. Device in accordance with claim 5 in which said second conduit isdefined within the centrifuge spindle.

7. Device in accordance with claim 6 in which said third conduit meansare provided with valving means for variably adjusting mixture iiowtherethrough, in which said third conduit is essentially dened betweenthe outer surface of said shaft and an essentially tubular membercocentric with said shaft in spaced relation thereto, and in which saidannular overow channel is defined between the inner surface of a tubularextension of the drum cover cocentric with said shaft and a portion ofthe outer surface of said tubular member.

8. Method for the intimate mixing of liquids which comprisesestablishing a volume conned zone, continuously feeding two specificallydiffering liquids into said zone, continuously subjecting said liquidsin said zone to centrifugal action to establish an interphasetherebetween, continuously stripping and forcing for discharge from saidzone a portion of each said liquids from said interphase along astationary centrally spiralling confined path while maintaining 6 thefeeding of one of said liquids in amount less than the total dischargingliquid.

9. Device for the intimate mixing of liquids which comprises a rotatablecentrifugal drum, a stationary stripping disc of smaller diameter thanthe inside diameter of said drum positioned within said drumsubstantially co-axial with the drum axis of rotation with its outerperimeter in spaced relationship to the inner wall of said drum deningan annular space therebetween for a body of liquid of appreciable depth,conduit means for feeding two specifically differing liquids into saiddrum, overflow means from the upper inner end of said drum, and liquiddischarge means in communication with the stripping channel of said discfor removing a mixture of said liquids.

10. Device according to claim 9 in which there are additionally providedvalving means on said discharging means for variably adjusting mixtureflow through said discharging means.

11. Device according to claim 9 in which said conduit means comprises arst conduit for feeding one of said liquids into said drum and a secondconduit for feeding the other of said liquids into said drum.

12. Device according to claim 11 in which said first conduit exits belowsaid disc and said second conduit above said disc.

13. Device according to claim 11 in which said conduit means exit intothe drum space below said disc and including valving means on saiddischarging means for variably adjusting mixture ow through saiddischarging means.

HEINRICH HEMFORT.

References Cited in the fue of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 814,720 Monroe Mar. 30, 1906 1,624,037 Butler Apr. 12, 19271,771,321 Snow July 22, 1930 2,171,136 Bergner Aug. 29, 1939 2,273,835Cornell Feb. 24, 1942 2,318,293 Cornell May 4, 1943 2,341,536 Fash Feb.15, 1944

